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United States Patent |
6,029,326
|
Semon
|
February 29, 2000
|
Casket construction
Abstract
A metal casket is provided with stabilizing braces at each corner secured
to neighboring surfaces of a side panel, end panel and bottom panel to
assure and maintain the integrity of the squareness of the casket body,
and, consequently, the alignment of the casket lid with the casket body.
Inventors:
|
Semon; Joseph R. (Clarks Summit, PA)
|
Assignee:
|
Casket Shells, Incorporated (Eynon, PA)
|
Appl. No.:
|
120061 |
Filed:
|
July 21, 1998 |
Current U.S. Class: |
27/10; 27/6 |
Intern'l Class: |
A61G 017/00 |
Field of Search: |
27/2,6,10
403/205,403
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
1989962 | Feb., 1935 | Zinser et al.
| |
2056419 | Oct., 1936 | Cohen.
| |
2830354 | Apr., 1958 | Slaughter | 27/10.
|
3531837 | Oct., 1970 | Cherry | 27/10.
|
4195394 | Apr., 1980 | Semon | 27/10.
|
4304031 | Dec., 1981 | Semon et al. | 27/10.
|
Primary Examiner: Melius; Terry Lee
Assistant Examiner: Miller; William L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kane, Dalsimer, Sullivan and Levy, LLP
Claims
I claim:
1. An improved metal casket having a top and bottom and comprising in
combination:
a pair of spaced side panels each having opposed ends;
a pair of spaced end panels each having opposed ends, the panels being so
constructed and arranged that an end of a side panel is proximate an end
of an end panel and such proximate ends being connected by welding to
define four corners extending from the top to the bottom of the casket,
each side panel and end panel having lateral base flanges at the bottom,
and the flange of a side panel and the flange of an end panel having
proximal beveled ends at each corner, the panels defining a casket
interior;
a bottom panel resting on and secured to the flanges of the side and end
panels, the side end and bottom panels constituting a casket body; a lid
extending over the top of the casket; a stabilizing corner brace at each
corner resting on and directly secured to a side panel flange and an end
panel flange adjacent to and straddling each of the proximal beveled ends,
the brace resting on and being directly secured to the bottom panel
adjacent to each of the proximal beveled ends and being disposed in the
casket interior, whereby the stabilizing brace is so constructed and
arranged to assure and maintain the integrity of the squareness of the
casket body, and consequently, the alignment of the lid with the body.
2. The improved metal casket in accordance with claim 1 wherein each corner
brace is arrow-shaped and has a relatively flat front pointed end and a
relatively flat rear wing end, the pointed end being spot welded to a side
panel flange and an end panel flange adjacent to a proximal beveled end,
and the wing end being spot welded to the bottom panel adjacent to this
proximal beveled end.
3. The improved metal casket in accordance with claim 2 wherein each corner
brace has a raised intermediate section and each flange has a raised
strengthening rib straddled by the intermediate section adjacent to the
proximal beveled end.
4. The improved metal casket in accordance with claim 3 wherein the
intermediate section of each brace being spot welded to the raised
strengthening rib of the side panel and end panel of each corner.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Metal caskets are expensive because manufacturing and assembling the parts
is labor intensive and requires many manipulative steps to finish and trim
the assembled unit to meet consumer satisfaction and acceptance. Normally,
steel, bronze or copper sheet material is utilized and the casket sides,
ends, bottom and lid are stamped from such sheet material and then pressed
into the desired configuration. The sides, ends and bottom are welded
together and the lid hinged and latched to the sides. The welds and joints
are subjected to a grinding and polishing operation to enhance casket
appearance and then the sides, ends and lid are spray painted. The
interior of the thusly formed shell is trimmed in one of many styles. The
casket exterior is provided with hardware to complete the outward
appearance.
As a result of the many manufacturing and assembling operations, the sides,
ends and bottom may shift or flex relative to one another in varying
degrees. When this occurs the body and lid alignment suffers and such
misalignment renders it extremely difficult to satisfactorily close the
casket. If a gasket is interposed between the body and lid the casket seal
may be seriously jeopardized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a principal object of the present invention to improve the body and
lid alignment of a casket and, if selected, the gasketed seal
therebetween.
Another object is to provide a novel corner brace that assures the proper
connection and relationship between the casket sides, ends and bottom to
thereby assure proper body and lid alignment.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following
detailed description which is to be taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a metal casket incorporating the teachings
of the present invention, but not including any decorative or traditional
hardware.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a corner of the casket showing a
side and end panel welded together and welded to a bottom panel with a
corner arrow stabilizing brace prior to being secured in place.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the casket corner showing the corner arrow
stabilizing brace tack welded to the neighboring side and end panels and
the bottom panel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the drawings, a casket 10 of selected metal, such as bronze, copper or
the various grades of steel or zinc coated steel is shown without
conventional, decorative, functional or traditional hardware. The casket
10 may be of any one of many different styles and variety including the
full and half couch designs. Towards this end, a typical casket will
include a hinged cap or lid 12, opposed side panels 14 and end panels 16,
as well as a base or bottom panel 18.
In the normal course of securing and squaring the casket, a number of tack
or spot welds or continuous weld 20 is applied to the top rail 14a, 16a
and bottom rails 14b, 16b and intermediate sections 14c, 16c of the side
panels 14 and end panels 16, respectively. In addition, the bottom panel
18 is continuously or tack welded at 22 to the inner faces of lateral base
flanges 14d, 16d of the side panels 14 and end panels, 16 respectively.
In order to assure and maintain the integrity of the squareness of the
casket body, and, consequently, the alignment of the lid with the body,
the present invention utilizes and applies an arrow stabilizing brace 30
at each corner of the casket. In this connection, each corner arrow
stabilizing brace 30 will include a relatively flat front pointed end 32
and a relatively flat rear wing end 34 and a raised intermediate section
36.
Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be observed that the corner arrow
stabilizing brace 30 straddles the joint defined by the beveled ends of
lateral base flanges 14d, 16d of the side panels 14 and end panels 16,
respectively, with raised intermediate section 36 received the raised
strengthening ribs 14e, 16e. The relatively flat front pointed end is spot
welded to each of the lateral base flanges 14d, 16d as shown in FIG. 3;
and the relatively flat rear wing end 34 is spot welded to the bottom
panel 18 as shown in FIG. 3. In order to further enhance the securement of
this corner joint, the raised intermediate section 36 may be spot welded
to each of the raised strengthening ribs 14e, 16e as shown in FIG. 3.
Thus, the several aforenoted objects and advantages are most effectively
attained. Although a single somewhat preferred embodiment has been
disclosed and described in detail herein, it is to be understood that this
invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined
by that of the appended claims.
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